Apparatus for basing lamps



Nov. 13, 1962 T. H. HEINE ETAL APPARATUS FOR BASING LAMPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 11, 1960 FIG.

Nov. 13, 1962 Filed July 11, 1960 T. H. HEINE ETAL APPARATUS FOR BASING LAMPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A P" V" I.

Nov. 13, 1962 T. H. Hr-:lNE ETAL APPARATUS PoR BASIN@ LAMPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July ll, 1960 FIG. 3.

T0 EXHAUST FAN INVEIWORS HE//VE ."4

THOMAS H. WML/HM E. W/50/V. BY

ov.v 13, 1962 T. H. HEINE ETAL APPARATUS FOR BASING LAMPS Filed July 1l, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR5 THM/qs H. H-/VE and? United States Patent Oiiiice Patented Nov. 13, 1952- 3,063,492 AFPARATUS FR BASHNG LAMPS Thomas H. eine and William E. Wilson, Cedar Grove, NJ., assignors to viestinghouse Electric Corporanon, East Pittsburgh, la., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 11, 1950, Ser. No. 42,041 5 Qlaims. {fCL 156-424) The present invention relates to the basing of discharge lamps and, more particularly, to an improved method of and apparatus for basing double-ended lamps.

Heretofore, discharge lamps, such as iiuorescent lamps, have been based and seasoned on a conventional basing machine of the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,439,884 issued April 20, 1948, to J. M. Campbell. In order to produce a better quality product by faster, more ecient direct heating and cooling of the base, the massive metal basing chucks (of the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,725,918, issued December 6, 1955, to G. D. Brent et al.) on such conventional basing machine were replaced with excellent results by the improved basing chucks of the type shown in U.S. patent application, Serial No. 652,466, iled April 12, 1957, by T. F. McDougal and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

This conventional basing machine produces about 750 based lamps per hour and indexes once every 4.8 seconds. Such conventional basing machine heretofore employed fifteen heating stations thereby providing about 72 seconds to heat the basing cement from room temperature (about 70 F.) to the desired curing temperature of about 3l 350 F. Twenty cooling stations, of course, provide about 96 seconds to cool the basing cement to the desired temperature of about 120 F. at the discharge station and thus set the basing cement.

yDuring the heating and curing of the basing cement, it is essential to avoid blistering of the plastic base (which conducts the heat to the basing cement) that the temperature of the base does not exceed 430 F. As a rcsult it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the limited number (fteen) of heating stations and limited resultant heating time (72 seconds) coupled with this maximum allowable base temperature (430 F.) and the corresponding number of cooling stations (twenty), cooling temperature (120 F.) and cooling time (96 seconds) limit the production rate of the conventional basing machine to 750 based lamps/hour. it is, however, extremely desirable to increase this production rate of the basing machine to 850 based lamps/hour so that such basing machine will match the production rate of the adjacent exhaust machine, which rate is S50 exhausted lamps/hour.

Another defect of the conventional basing machine is the interruption of the iiow of hot and cold air into the basing chucks during the indexing movement of the basing machine. Further, heat losses in the long path of movement of the heated air from its entrance to the heating manifold at 700 F. to the basing -chuck and the heat losses encountered in bridging the air space between the manifolds and the basing chucks result in an inetiicient heating system. Also variations in these heat losses due to ambient conditions render control of the critical heated base temperature diiiicult and subject to epeated adjustment.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other diiculties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of an improved method of basing and an improved basing machine which will consistently produce a high quality based iiuorescent lamp.

Another object of the present invention is the -provision of an improved method of basing and an improved basing machine which will permit an increased production rate of about 13% above the previous maximum.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved basing machine which provides an uninterrupted flow of treating uid into the basing chucks.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved basing machine which eliiciently introduces heating and cooling fluid of controlled ternperature into the basing chucks.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing apparatus comprising a frame, a turret movable on said frame, a basing chuck on the turret provided with a recess adapted to receive a base, the recess delining with the base a Huidcirculating cavity which surrounds the base and lpermits the circulation of a fluid therethrough in direct contact with the base. Drive means connected to the turret move the basing chuck through a path of movement including a series of heating and curing stations and a plurality of cooling and setting stations. Valve means connected to the basing chuck are operable adjacent the heating and curing stations and the cooling and setting stations to permit the continuous evacuation of the iluid from the basing chuck. Heating means and cooling means adjacent the heating and curing stations and the cooling stations respectively envelope the basing chuck in a veil of heated and cooled Huid respectively. Evacuating means connected to the valve means suck the heated fluid and the cooled fluid through the cavity to irst cure and then set the basing cement.

The improved method of-either curing or setting the basing cement between an end of a lamp and a base disposed thereon comprises the steps of enveloping a basing chuck, having a recess containing the base, in a veil of either heated or cooled fluid, and then evacuating the cavity, deiined by the recess and the base, to continuously suck either the heated or the cooled uid into the cavity and into direct contact with the base thereby either curing or setting the basing cement. This improved sucking method is more eective than the conventional blowing method, since the cooling fluid is not heated (and the heating uid is not cooled) by passage through the previously heated (or cooled) chuck before it strikes the base. For the same reason, ambient air sucked into the base is more effective than conventional blowing of forced cooled air.

IFor a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the improved basing machine of the present invention, which improved basing machine is one example of apparatus for performing the improved method of basing of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical-sectional view of a heating station along the line lI-II of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical-sectional view of a cooling station along the line lII-iil of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a vertical-sectional View of the booster heating means along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical-sectional view of the lower chuck shown in FIG. 2 and the associated adjacent portions of the heating means.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical-sectional View of the upper chuck shown in FIG. 2 and the associated portions of the heating means.

FIG. 7 is a vertical-sectional View of the upper chuck 3 along the line VII-VII ot' FIG. 6 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a plan View of the rotary portion of the valve for the improved basing machine.

FIG. 9 is a plan view or the stationary portion of this valve.

FIG. l is a View `similar to FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment of the yheating means.

FIG. ll is an enlarged horizontal-sectional view along the line XI--XI of FIG. l0 in the direction of the arrows.

Although the method and apparatus of the present invention are broadly applicable to the basing of incandescent and fluorescent lamps, as well as other discharge devices, the present invention is particularly adapted for use with the basing of iluorescent lamps and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specic reference to the form of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, and referring particularly to FIG, 1, the reference numeral 50 indicates generally a stationary frame of the improved basing machine of the present invention. This frame 50 comprises essentially :a bottom spider 52 (FIG. 3) atlixed to a pedestal S4 and a top spider 56 (FIGS. 1 3) mounted on a center post 58 projecting from the pedestal 54. As shown in FIG. l the arms of the bottom spider 52 and top spider 56 are integrated by a series of rods 60.

In order to provide lamp supporting means for moving forty-eight iiuorescent lamps 62 (FIGS. 2 and 3) through a like number of work stations (FIG. l) on the basing machine, a turret 64 (FIGS. 1-3) is aiiixed to a sleeve 67 which is rotatably mounted on the center post 58 and such turret 64 is provided with forty-eight equi-spaced heads, each comprising a lixedly mounted upper basing chuck 66 (FIGS. 2-4, 6 and 7) and a reciprocably mounted lower basing chuck 68 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). The upper basing chucks 66 and the lower basing chucks 68 are of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S, patent application Serial No. 652,466.

The means utilized to continuously rotate the sleeve 67, the turret 64 Iand hence the heads carried thereby comprises conventional drive means (not shown) but of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,212,842 issued August 27, 1940, to M. E. McGowan.

In order to xedly mount each of the upper chucks 66 on the turret 64, each of such upper chucks 66 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 6) is mounted on an upper mounting plate 70 which in turn projects radially from and is xaliixed to a peripheral upper ange 72 of the turret 64.

To provide vertically reciprocable mounting for each of the lower chucks 68, a guide rod 74 and a slide rod 76 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are disposed in parallel spaced relation between the peripheral upper flange 72 and a peripheral lower flange 78 of the turret 64, and Aa lower mounting plate 80 (which carries the lower chuck 68) is reciprocable on the guide rod 74 and slide rod 76. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring 82 (disposed on the slide rod 76 between an adjustably mounted lower xed coll-ar 84 and a depending sleeve portion 86 of the lower mounting plate 80) biases the sleeve portion 86 and the lower mounting plate 88 upwardly so that a rusto-conical end portion 88 of an inlet elbow 90 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) for such lower chuck 68 is hermetically seated in -a mating seat 92 provided in an adjustably mounted but fixed upper collar 94, if uniform length lamps 62 are employed. The lower collar 84 and upper collar 94 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are adjustably secured to the .slide rod 76 and disposed about the guide rod 74.

Y In order to load a fluorescent lamp 62 into a head of the improved basing machine adjacent station 1, the loading station, 4a handle 96 (FIG. 3) on the sleeve portion 86 is depressed (against the action of the spring 82) to lower the elbow 90 and the lower chuck 68, thereby permitting insertion of anuppe'r base 98 on the luorescent lamp 62 into the upper chuck 66 with its base pins 108 (FIGS. 6 and 7) projecting into locating holes 102 (FIG. 6) in such upper chuck 66. As a lower base 184 is swung inwardly into registry with the lowered lower chuck 68, such lower chuck 68 is raised by release of handle 96 (with the help of spring 82) to seat base pins 108 (FIG. 5) on the lower base 166 (FEG. 5) into corresponding locating holes 102 in the lower chuck 68 and to once again seat the truste-conical end portion 88 of the inlet elbow 90 in the `seat 92 in the fixed upper collar 94.

From station "3 through station 23 (FIG. l) a heated Huid, such as air, is fed into the upper chuck 66 and lower chuck 68 by a heating means (FIGS. 2 8) to directly heat the upper base 98 and the lower base 166 on the liuorescent lamp 62, and more particularly to heat the basing cement 108 (FIG. 6) disposed between the bases 98 and 186 and the ends of the lamp envelope to a temperature in the range of 3MP-350 F. thereby curing such basing cement 108.

Healing 1M eans Forced hot air at about 700 F. from a. forced hot air supply 109 (FIG. 9) passes successively through a plurality of intake pipes 110 (FIG. 9) in the direction of the arrows (FIG. 2): an annular slot 112 in a stationary portion 114 of `a valve; a port 116 in a rotmy portion 118 (FIG. 8) of the valve; a sweep 120 to the upper chuck 66; and by means of T-connection 122 and a iflexible pipe 124 to the inlet elbow 90 and the lower chuck 68. Once inside the upper chuck 66 and lower chuck 68 the forced hot air circulates around the cavity 74a in direct contact with the bases 98 and 1&6 in the direction ofthe arrows (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) and out through the base receiving aperture 58a and vent hole 78a to the atmosphere.

In order to reduce heat losses along the path of movement of the forced hot air, the intake pipes 110, sweep :and llexible pipe 124i are covered with a heat insulating shell 126 (FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 2, the stationary portion 114 of the valve is mounted on the pedestal 54 and the rotary portion 118 of such valve is secured to the turret 64 for continuous rotary movement therewith. The flexible nature of the pipe 124, of course, permits adjustment of the upper collar. 94 and lower collar S4 on the slide rod 76 and the guide rod 74 to kallow the lower chuck 68 to receive fluorescent lamps 62 of varying length.

Despite the heat insulation 126 provided in the abovementioned inlet pipe 116, sweep 12) and exible pipe 124, conduction heat losses occur during the path of movement of the forced lhot -air through the massive valve. :Forced hot air entering the intake pipes 110 at a temperature of 700 F. is delivered to the upper chuck 66 and lower chuck 68 at a muclrlower temperature. In addition, varying ambient atmospheric conditions cause iuctuations in the temperature of the forced hot air delivered to such upper chuck 66 yand lower chuck 68.

In order to overcome these defects and diiculties, a booster heating means, such as the oven 128 (FIGS. 2 and 4), is mounted on the top spider S6 adjacent stations 3"21 to heat an uninsulated loop 129 in the sweep 120 to a predetermined tempearture.

Booster Heater Means As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the oven 128 comprises a heat insulated body 131D having a plurality of radiant burners 132 mounted in the opposing side walls of the body 130, which radiant burners VV132 are connected by supply pipes 134 to a gas-air supply (not shown). By periodically checking the temperature of the forced hot air delivered to the upper chuck 66 and lower chuck 68, the gas-air mixture supplied to the radiant burners 132 can be adjusted by conventional valve means (not shown) in the gas supply pipes 134 to cause the forced hot air to be delivered at a relatively uniform temperature of about 400 F. to the upper chuck 6,6 and lower chuck 68. This temperature of about 400 F. is well below the blistering temperature (430 F.) of the bases 98 and 106 on the uorescent lamp 62 and suficiently high to raise the basing cement 108`to (and maintain it at) the curing temperature, namely about 3l0350 F.

it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that forced hot air at 400 F. is fed by the above-described heating means to a continuously rotating head on the turret 64- without interruption. in addition, due to the use of a unique cooling means (FIGS. 1 and 3) which requires six fewer cooling stations than heretofore employed, the number of heating stations on the improved basing -machine is increased from the fifteen heating stations previously employed on conventional machines, to twenty-one thus permitting an increase in the production rate of such improved basing machine to 850 based lamps per hour.

Cooling Means In order to cool the cured basing cement 108 (within the bases 9S and 106) to a temperature of about 120 F. when the uorescent lamp 62 arrives adjacent the discharge station 48 (and thereby set such basing cement 108), forced cooled air at about 40 F. is fed from a conventional air cooling means (not shown) by a pipe 137 (FIG. l) into a pair of cooled air manifolds 13S (FIGS. l and 3) mounted on the rods 60 adjacent the peripheral path of movement of the chucks 66 and 68 through the cooling stations 29-44. A plurality of peripheral slots 140 (FIG. 3) disposed radially in the side walls of the cooled air manifolds 138 direct the forced cooled air around the upper chucks 66 and lower chucks 68 a-djacent stations "29"44 thus enveloping such chucks 66 and 68 in a veil of cooled air.

Adjacent stations 29-44 the stationary portion 114 of the valve is provided with an annular exhaust slot 142 (FIG. 9) which is connected by an outlet pipe 144 to an exhaust fan 143 (FIG. 9).

The rough vacuum within the outlet pipe 144 and exhaust slot 142 is applied to the chucks 66 and 68 in their respective positions at stations 2944 by the hereinbefore described path comprising upper port 116 in rotary portion 118 of the valve, sweep 120 (and in the case of the lower chuck 68 by the exible pipe 124).

The continuously fed enveloping veil of cooled air at 40 F. around the chucks 66 and 68 is continuously sucked by the exhaust fan 143 through the vent holes 78a and base receiving apertures `58a and into the cavities 74a (not shown in FIG. 3), in the chucks 66 and 68 and into direct contact with the bases 98 and 166, thereby rapidly cooling the basing cement 16S within the bases 98 and 166 from the curing temperature (about 310-350 F.) to about 120 F. by the time the iiuorescent lamp 62 reaches station 47.' The moving cooled air within the chucks 66 and 68 passes through (the exible pipe 124 from the lower chuck 68); sweep 126; port 116 in the rotary portion 118 of the valve; exhaust slot 142 in the stationary portion 114 of such valve; and outlet pipe 144 to the exhaust fan 143 (FIG. 9).

From a consideration of FIG. 1 it will be apparent that the improved cooling means of the basing machine permits the use of only sixteen coolin 7 stations (namely stations Z9-44) rather than the twenty cooling stations heretofore employed on conventional basing machines. As a result the number of heating stations in the improved basing machine can be increased from fifteen to twent -one (stations 3-23) and the production rate of such improved basing machine increased from 750* based lamps per hour to 850 based lamps per hour, an increase of about 13%.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. l0 and ll the booster heating means 128 has been dispensed with; the sweeps 129 are replaced by loopless sweeps 120e and the slot 112 in the stationary portion 114 of the valve is connected by an exhaust pipe 110:1 to an exhaust fan (not shown) similar to the exhaust fan 143 shown in FIG. 9. In addition, heating manifolds 138@ having peripheral slots 146o are mounted on the rods 6ft adjacent the heating and curing stations, stations 3-23 and such heating manifolds 138a are connected to a forced hot air supply (not shown). To provide `guide means for the forced hot air, thin semi-cylindrical bales 150 are mounted adjacent the chucks 66 and 68. The exhaust fan (not shown) sucks the enveloping veil of forced heated air into the basing chucks 66 and 68, the sweep 120er, the valve and the exhaust pipe m thus enabling the circulating air in the cavities 74a to raise the basing cement 108 to the desired curing temperature about S10-350 F., thereby curing such basing cement 103.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the improved basing method of the present invention may be practiced by hand or by a basing apparatus other than the improved basing machine herein disclosed. Further, alternatively in the cooling operation (where time permits) the cooling manifold 138 may be dispensed with and ambient air sucked into the cavity 74a. it will be further recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an improved method of basing and an improved basing machine which will consistently produce high quality based fluorescent lamps, which permits an increase of about 13% in the production rate of based lamps per hour, which efhciently introduces heating and cooling uid of controlled temperature into the basing chucks and which provides an uninterrupted ow of such treating lfluid into the basing chucks which fluid may be from a supply source or ambient air.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a prefcrred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, since the method as herein shown and described may be performed by apparatus other than that disclosed herein as well as by hand.

We claim:

l. Apparatus for setting the basing cement between an end of a discharge lamp and a base disposed on said end, said apparatus comprising a frame, a turret rotatable on said frame, a basing chuck on said turret and provided with a recess therein adapted to receive said base, said recess providing with said base a huid-circulating cavity surrounding said base and adapted to circulate a duid around and in direct contact with said base, drive means connected to said turret for moving said basing chuck and said lamp through a path of movement including a series of cooling and setting stations, valve means connected to said basing chuck and communicating with said fluid-circulating cavity when said basing chuck and said base are adjacent said cooling and setting stations to permit the continuous evacuation of a cooled tiuid from said basing chuck, cooling means adjacent said cooling and setting stations for enveloping said basing chuck in a veil of cooled fluid, and evacuating means connected to said valve means for sucking said cooled uid adjacent said basing chuck into said basing chuck and through said Huid-circulating cavity and said valve means to cause setting of said basing cement.

2. Apparatus for curing the basing cement between an end of a discharge lamp and a base disposed on said end, said apparatus comprising a frame, a turret rotatable on said frame, a basing chuck on said turret and provided with a recess therein adapted to receive said base, said recess providing with said base a fluid-circulating cavitysurrounding said base and adapted to circulate a uid around and in direct contact with said base, drive means connected to said turret for moving said basing chuck and said base are adjacent said heating and curing stations to permit the continuous evacuation of a heated fluid from said basing chuck, heating means adjacent said heating and curing stations for enveloping said basing chuck in a veil of heated fluid, and evacuating means connected to said valve means for sucking the heated uid adjacent said basing chuck into said basing chuck and through said huid-circulating cavity and said valve means to cause curing of said basing cement.

3. Apparatus for curing the basing cement between an end of a discharge lamp and a base disposed on said end, said apparatus comprising a frame, a turret rotatable on said frame, a Ibasing chuck on said turret and provided with a recess therein adapted to receive said base, said recess providing with said base a fluid-circulating cavity surrounding said base and adapted to circulate a uid around and in direct contact with said base, drive means connected to said turret for moving said basing chuck and said lamp through a path of movement including a plurality of heating and curing stations, valve means operable adjacent said heating and curing stations to permit the continuous passage of a heated iluid therethrough, means for connecting said valve means to said basing chuck, heating means connected to said valve means for supplying heated fluid to said basing chuck adjacent the heating and curing stations, booster heating means disposed adjacent said heating and curing stations along said path of movement of said basing chuck and said connecting means and operable to maintain the heated iiuid entering said basing chuck from said connecting means at a predetermined temperature to cause curing of said basing cement.

Y 4. Apparatus for curing and setting the basing cement between an end of a discharge lamp and a base disposed on said end, said apparatus comprising a frame, a turret rotatable on said frame, a basing chuck on said turret and provided with a recess therein adapted to receive said base, said recess providing with said base a huid-circulating cavity surrounding said base and adapted to circulate a iluid around and in direct contact with said base, drive means connected to said turret for moving said basing chuck and said lamp through a path of movement including a plurality of heating, and curing stations and then through a series of cooling and setting stations, valve means connected to said basing chuck and communicating with said duid-circulating cavity when said basing chuck and said base are adjacent said heating and curing stations and said cooling and setting stations to permit the continuous evacuation of a uid from said basing chuck, heating means adjacent said heating and curing stations for enveloping said basing chuck in a veil of heated iuid, cooling means adjacent said cooling and setting stations for enveloping said basing chuck in a veil of cooled fluid, and evacuating means connected to said valve means for sucking said heated fluid adjacent said basing chuck into said basing chuck and through said t1uid-circulating cavity and said valve means to cause curing of said basing cement, said evacuating means being then operable to suck the cooled uid adjacent said basing chuck into said basing chuck and through said duid-circulating cavity and said valve means to set said basing cement.

5. Apparatus for curing and setting the basing cement between an end of a discharge lamp and a base disposed on said end, said apparatus comprising a frame, a turret rotatable on said frame, a basing chuck on said turret and provided with a recess therein adapted to receive said base, said recess providing with said base a fluidcirculating cavity surrounding said base and adapted to irculate a uid around and in direct contact with said base, drive means connected to said turret for moving said basing chuck and said lamp through a path of movement including a plurality of heating and curing stations and then throughva series of cooling and setting stations, valve means communicating With said fluid-circulating cavity when said basing chuck and said base are adjacent said heating and curing stations to permit the continuous passage of a heated uid through said fluid-circulating cavity in said basing chuck thereby curing said basing cement, said valve means being also in communication with said huid-circulating cavity when said basing chuck and said base are adjacent said cooling and setting stations to permit the continuous evacuation of a cooled uid from said basing chuck, means for connecting said valve means to said basing chuck, heating means connected to said valve means for supplying heated fluid to said basing chuck adjacent the heating and curing stations, booster heating means disposed adjacent said heating and curing stations along said path of movement of said basing chuck and said connecting means and operable to maintain the heated fluid entering said basing chuck from said connecting means at a predetermined temperature, cooling means adjacent said cooling and setting stations for enveloping said basing chuck in a veil of cooled duid, and evacuating means connected to said valve means for sucking said cooled uid adjacent said basing chuck into said basing chuck and through said fluid-circulating cavi-ty, the connecting means and said valve means to cause setting of said basing cement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 1,760,629 Brindle May 27, 1930 2,252,517 Marshaus Aug. 12, 1941 2,264,304 Gardner Dec. 2, 1941 2,868,609 L evand et al. T. Jan. 13, 1959 

